Lawyers’ groups in the district bar have reportedly already severed contacts with Mudassir following his involvement in the case. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The lawyer defending a university lecturer accused of blasphemy has allegedly received death threats from right-wing elements, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to sources, Chaudhry Mudassir, the lawyer defending the case of Bahauddin Zakariya University lecturer Junaid Hafeez, has asked for police protection following the threats. Mudassir’s client Hafeez is accused of spreading blasphemous material on Facebook.
Lawyers’ groups in the district bar have reportedly already severed contacts with Mudassir following his involvement in the case. On Saturday, as he appeared before additional district sessions judge Justice Zia Khan, Mudassir was met with derision from other lawyers present in the court, the sources maintained. They said the lawyers held Mudassir equally responsible for blasphemy for ‘daring to defend’ Hafeez.
The case has been adjourned till June 20. Meanwhile, police have already increased the security for Hafeez.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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Blasphemy law existing in Pakistan is man made and not God made. It can be changed, only laws made by Allah cannot be changed...civil society need to raise thier voice on this issue, though its difficult and risky but society should be educated about this important point.
Looks like our religion is very weak, when you hold on to such dark laws that doesn't allow any intelligent conservation. Good luck to all
''ISLAAM KHATARE MEY" If a religion itself can be in danger and need to be protected by law then how one can expect or have faith that such religion can save him at the time of crisis . I think it is becouse of such scycological fear the followers of Islam are in greate trouble all over the world and in Pakistan maulana and maderssa have produced terrorists to protect the Islam .
It amazes me that so many commenters are aghast at the pre-ruling threats, but see nothing wrong with the law.
If your god can not stand up to criticism, then why call it god? If your religion falls down when someone dares mention other options, then clearly it's not the one true religion. If someone points out the shortcomings of your religion, don't judge the messenger, but rather contemplate the message with critical thinking, reason and honesty.
Harming other people for disagreeing with your imaginary friend is not the way of civilized people. If you believe in your convictions, then debate them, show them the error of their way through civilized words, not brutally barbaric sticks and stones...
@Mj: "@kaalchakra: Every religion stands in blasphemy against the other. Tolerance and open-mindedness is the only way forward."
Not true. Indic religions neither proselytyze or say this is the only way. They say this is one way to reach the divine.
An Australian article about a film being shown in America that is about a Pakistani girl that you're government has banned you from seeing. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/teenage-rape-victim-destined-to-be-killed/story-e6frg6n6-1226656060310
Criticising a religion may be blasphemy, but it is a stupid law designed to protect religion by making sure all it's followers never hear about anything that conflicts with what religion teaches. This is anti progress, anti science and anti peoples rights to freely express their views. The right to free speech is a much more important right than a right not to be offended. If citizens in Islamic countries don't stop their rulers from implementing these laws then the people of those countries will have diifficulty progressing their societies away from poverty and towards prosperity. To get orogressyou need education, especially in critical thinking and science. Both of these are enemies of religion, that us why your religious leaders don't want you to learn them. It sounds unbelievable I know, but the history if progress in Western civilization proves it.
@ashar:
Sanity has no place in our society. So it figures.
Imagine about Salman Taseer, the victim of speaking against this black law. None of the main politicians attended his funeral. Do you know the whereabouts of the judge who sentenced his murderer for death? Even this judge I'm sure will not be able to save this lecturer (even though he is not blasphemous according to our definition), I think, as we live in a very primitive society where the power of ignorance (that produces fear) rules over the people. All blasphemy laws in the world are made on the assumption that the Ultimate Truth is something sacred and cannot be talked about. This is something which defies all logic and philosophy and hence also science for whose benefits such ignorant mafia would be the first in ques.
who is going to decide whether a person has committed blasphemy or not. It is not an individual or group of individuals to decide. It is up to the court to decide and in that case an accused has to be represented by a counsel. How could a person be declared guilty without fair trial, without appearance of a counsel.
Wonder when Muslims while try to be Humans & why don't they allow an impartial trial of the accused so it can be prove whether he did it or not. Prejudging & disrespecting a Human life is a worse kind of criminality.
@kaalchakra @ashar The blasphemer has not been found guilty yet!. Can you imagine if someone with a grudge accuses you for blaspheming? How would you defend yourself? Yes, if the person is found guilty then sentence him but do not prejudge the person.
@kaalchakra:
Every religion stands in blasphemy against the other. Tolerance and open-mindedness is the only way forward.
Blasphemers has no place in our society.